There’s a touch of the Austin Powers in the groovy design of this attention-grabbing hotel, but nothing clichéd about its way of doing business. It dispenses with niceties such as reception desks and minibar bills, instead providing automated check-in, freebie refreshments in the fridge, top-dollar showers and helpful, unstuffy staff to help you out with any queries. The café/bar on the ground floor is for socialising; rooms are a little too bijou for that.
The Shangri-La in the shiny Shard is the highpoint of the best hotels near London Bridge; indeed, it’s the highest in all of London. At its foot, the station has emerged, gleaming, from its makeover. Walk a little way along the river to Tate Modern, or across Borough High Street to a cobbly, Elizabethan hinterland, whose trophy attraction, foodie Borough Market, hard by Southwark Cathedral, pulls in its share of the 50 million annual visitors to the area. Around the railway arches redevelopment continues; Southwark council has approved a £300million project for retail units and an art-house cinema.
Looking for more options? Check out London’s best Airbnbs
